The Invention of Wings question

Definitely!! Finished reading this yesterday, and am feeling lost without it. Keep thinking about the characters Handful, Hetty, their dilemmas and the choices they created for themselves. AWESOME!! Also, the circumstances Sara and Nina were born into, the guilt they felt about this, and the choices THEY created for themselves... All these women had to pay severe prices for their choices, and eventually made great gains as well.
(And I'm thinking that even now, women are often faced with making choices between personal and professional goals, albeit perhaps not in such dire circumstances.)

KUDOS to Sue Monk Kidd!! Another FABULOUS, Luscious, sweeping novel, about a painful, wrenching period in the history of the US. We all need to read this book as a Primer in threads of current racial and gender equality in our society.

I loved The Invention of Wings as much as I have loved all of Kidd's previous novels. I was especially happy that she took on the historical characters of the Grimke sisters. I feel that they've not gotten their due for their work. This will introduce them to a wider audience including people who don't read history as a rule. There was a good biography by Gerda Lerner, The Grimke Sisters from South Carolina, that came out in 1998 which may be of interest to anyone seeking a more in depth picture. But for me, Kidd's work made them come alive and I appreciate that.

I loved it!

I was #148 on the waiting list for this book at my library when I stumbled upon a copy prominently displayed on the library's "Most Wanted" shelf--no reserves, no renewals, 1 week checkout time. Needless to say, I snatched it right up! I'm sure it was a sign that I was meant to read this book.

Two days in and I'm on page 102 of 359, so I'm hoping to make it! So far, I've found it both interesting, as this is a time period I don't know much about, and like an emotional roller-coaster; the hopes of the characters go up, and then they are squelched, but then they find new ways to hope.

picked it up in 15 February, finished on 17 February. Could not stop. Handful and Sarah were absorbing people. Sue is one of my favorite authors..

I thought it was Sue Monk Kidd's best book so far. Loved it.

I absolutely loved this book and was washed along by the imagery produced and the vocabulary used. It was an utterly moving and educating portrayal and I savoured every word. I would find it hard to believe if someone didn't get something from this book. I can't recommend it enough.

Loved it

I like the book but I am a little uncomfortable with it. It seems like it feeds into this comfortable myth about slavery that many people seem to have. That is, the story of the kindly owner who feels so strongly about being good to their slaves. It really romanticizes this relationship. Also, it is written by a white woman. I feel like the story is putting some soft edges on a cruel reality. Am I the only one who feels this way?

I really enjoyed the characters,story line and historical perspective of the time and place.But I must admit I felt like I was in the middle of a "Hallmark moment" soon after the first few pages. That being said...it is a reading experience well worth the time, and one that I recommend.

I could not put it down! So good. I love these types of books.

I absolutely LOVED this book. When I get a book that I won't put down until I'm finished, it makes me a happy camper!!!

The audiobook version is awesome. I love the different voices read by different actresses. They do a wonderful job and bring the story to life.

So sorry. I wanted to love this book but it didn't happen. It was like drinking saccharine and walking through the Hallmark aisle of overstated inspirational quotes. These characters and plots could have had so much more depth. They're never explored beyond stereotypes and thoughts or events we've read before. Sarah stutters - that's the only way to portray her conflicts, really? This will be a fine Oprah Productions movie but it isn't fine literature. I'm so sad and disappointed.

I thought the book was interesting, but I didn't love it. However, the characters were so well defined and I liked them. Sarah was proscribed to be a woman in a certain society, which goes againt her principles. Handful is a great character. I can picture her sleeping on the quilt outside Sarah's bedroom. Handful's desire to become free comes from her time with Sarah, and it strengthens as she gets older. She's a gutsy character.